Despite Everything
by smallanddetermined
Summary: A retelling of Undertale with some AU and adult aspects. First time writing fanfiction! Slight drabble, Frans pairing in later chapters. Still working on formatting as well. Comments always appreciated! :)
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

It had been years since Frisk had one of those dreams. Flashes of snow and lava, strange frogs, and a boney skeletal hand holding hers. She woke panting, sweat coating her in a fine sheen. Her room was quiet and dark in the early hours of the morning, and at the foot of her bed she heard the soft purring of her cat. She drew in several shaky breaths, reaching over to her bedside table to grab the journal there. Scribbling quickly, she wrote down the fragments from the dream as best as she could.

 _'Cold and hot landscape, amphibians, and bones…'_

Finished, she sat staring at the lump of fur slowly rising and falling at the foot of the bed. It had been so long, but those dreams used to plague her nighttime visions constantly. She often felt like she had been living a double life, one filled with magic and monsters and other things that she didn't understand.

Groaning, she fell back onto her pillow with a plop. She squinted over at the clock on the desk, a faint red glow of numbers reading 4:30 a.m. Letting out another groan, she rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut, willing sleep to come once more. It was pointless, however, which she knew well.

Huffing in annoyance, she sat back up and swung her legs over the bed, shoving her feet into fuzzy pink slippers and trying not to wake up the cat. Another pointless task, because the small feline jumped up as soon as she had moved, merrowing for food impatiently.

"I know, I know, come on Temmie lets go." She muttered to the eager animal, walking out into her small kitchen. Her apartment was cozy, a tiny one bedroom close to her job and the grocery store. All the furniture she had placed around were pieces either thrifted or found for free on the curbside. Her kitchen was well used, plenty of spices and cooking gear organized haphazardly on the counters and in cabinets. She went over to the coffee pot, opening up a bag of vanilla coffee grounds and shoveling a few tablespoons into the filter. Meanwhile, Temmie twined herself in and out of her legs, her meows getting louder and more incessant.

"Ok ok! Just let me get the coffee started!" Frisk said in exasperation. She went over to the food bowl and poured in some of the kibbles for her hungry friend. Sighing as Temmie began noisily crunching on her food, Frisk turned and pulled down a mug for her coffee, still thinking about the strange dream.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Despite everything, Frisk always felt out of place in her waking life. After pouring a good quantity of cream into her coffee, she shuffled over to her small couch and curled up, cupping the warm mug with both hands and sipping it as she stared out the window. The sun had not yet risen, and all the street lamps were still faintly shining in the early morning. In the distance, she heard a dog bark and the rumbling of a garbage truck a few blocks over.

Temmie, now finished with her breakfast, came to curl up in Frisk's lap, purring loudly and contentedly. Frisk smiled as she stroked her furry friend, which in turn earned her even louder purrs.

Today Frisk had a day off, something that seemed to happen more and more often lately. She wasn't exactly complaining- she always had enough money for her rent and other necessities (it's easy to afford things when you have no bad spending habits and buy things mostly second hand), but she did get a bit lonely sometimes. Her coworkers at the little coffee shop where she worked were all kind and friendly to her, she'd even hung out with a few of them outside of the job. But still, she felt somehow apart from all of them. It was like she was outside a window looking in and trying to socialize through the glass. A sensation which she worried made her more awkward than she needed to be.

Finishing her coffee as she contemplated these things, Frisk softly moved an uncooperative Temmie from her lap and stood up to stretch. A few bones in her back cracked and she grunted. Padding back into the kitchen for another cup of coffee, Frisk thought about what she should do today. Laundry was done, and the apartment was relatively tidy. She didn't have any other chores to accomplish either, so it seemed the day was hers to conquer. She brought her fresh cup into her bedroom and began to get ready.

Frisk picked out a simple outfit; her favorite worn blue and pink striped sweater, plain black leggings, some comfortable boots, and the red heart pendant that she always wore. She never dressed too fashionably, in her opinion, but comfort always won over making a statement. Looking her reflection over in the mirror, she nodded to herself and moved to the bathroom to finish her routine.

Brushing her teeth carefully with a minty toothpaste, Frisk dug around for her small bag of makeup and hair brush in a drawer by the sink. She liked to wear makeup but didn't consider herself particularly talented with it. Like her choice in clothing, it was more important for her to feel comfortable. She quickly brushed her cropped brown hair, sticking a bobby pin on her bangs to hold them away from her face. A bit of concealer, some powder, and a light peachy blush was all applied carefully to her skin. Next, she took a soft brush and applied a light sparkly brown eyeshadow to the corners of her eyes. Finally, a bit of flicked eyeliner and mascara and she was finished. Peering at herself in the mirror, Frisk gave her reflection a small smile. She knew she wasn't an ugly person, heck sometimes she even felt cute. But like many women, she was often self-conscious of her image.

 _Always put your best face forward_ , she thought, flicking off the bathroom light and going back into the living space.

By now the faint rays of the morning sun were warming the room with a velvety light. Frisk grabbed a slightly tattered messenger bag and shoved her cell phone, keys, and wallet into it before slinging it over her body.

"Ok Temmie, I'm heading out! Have a good day sleeping ya cutie!" She reached down to pet Temmie, who had found a very comfy sunlit spot to sleep in already. Rolling over and stretching, the cat exposed the fluffiest part of her belly to Frisk, who affectionately scrubbed the cats' chest. Making sure she had turned off all the lights and the coffee pot, Frisk left her apartment, locking the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Stepping out into the early morning dew, Frisk began walking towards her work. Even though she didn't have to work today, she thought it would be nice to grab a croissant from there for her breakfast. There was a park nearby as well, with lots of lovely yellow flowers and an older gentleman who always seemed to be there with his fluffy white dog. So her small plan was hatched. Breakfast of bread at the park.

The neighborhood was beginning to wake up, a few school buses passed by her on her route to the coffee shop, and the roads had begun to fill up with a stream of morning traffic. The walk was not too long, about 15 minutes altogether. Unless she stopped in the dusty bookstore that was on the way to the café. She approached the store front, the familiar atmosphere welcoming her instantly. The potted succulents that lined the windows had droplets of water still shimmering on their stalks, and the sidewalk outside had been freshly swept of leaves.

Hesitating outside of it, Frisk chewed on her lip, debating whether or not she should pop in. She was in the middle of several books already, and after a moment she talked herself out of going inside _. 'Maybe on the way home… ',_ she thought to herself, peeking in the shop window at the rows of book covered shelves more than a little wistfully.

Ever since she could remember, Frisk had loved to read. Mostly fantasy books, with the occasional non-fiction thrown in when it sparked her interest. Recently, she had gotten a few cook books and had been experimenting with baking in her down time. She had come across a recipe for cinnamon butterscotch pie that looked incredible but so far, all her attempts at making it had been disappointing.

All the fiction books she loved had an overarching theme; a girl gets transported into another world, away from her mundane life and into an adventure filled with magic and monsters. Not to mention, this fictional girl character usually found romance too. Frisk especially was fond of slow burn romance tropes- she was a sucker for two characters pining over each other before finally accepting their love and having a mushy happy ending.

It was as she was absorbed in these thoughts that Frisk found herself bumping into someone abruptly.

"Hey!" A small child with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes cried out as Frisk clumsily caught her balance. The little girl had been clutching a balloon, which now was drifting quite idly upwards. Frisk gasped in dismay, eyes following the floating object. It was shaped like a blue heart, a brilliant shade that almost seemed to burn with a cold fire in the light of the sun.

All of a sudden, her head was spinning and the sounds of passing cars and the complaining child seemed to her as though someone had replaced the surrounding air with water. Instead of these dampened noises, another very clear sound reached her ears- a cheerful chuckle that made her heart pound. Frisk felt the phantom touch from her dream, her hand reflexively twitching as she remembered the sensation.

It had all happened at once, and before she could process it, air flooded back, and it was as though she had popped her ears after a plane ride. Sound returned to its usual volume. Blinking in confusion, Frisk looked down at the child, who was now on the verge of tears.

"My balloon…" She sniffled, staring sadly after the vanishing inflated heart. Frisk crouched down so she was eye level with the girl, smiling at her gently.

"Hey now, I'm sorry about that. I should have been looking where I was going!" The little girl shrugged and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. There was no adult around, which perplexed Frisk for a moment before she remembered that there was a school bus stop a few feet away from where they were standing.

Watching the girl scuffle her feet and fidget with the straps of her backpack, Frisk felt rueful for having ruined the girl's morning. Chewing her lip as she tried to figure out what to say to the upset child, she glanced around anxiously. Across the street, she spotted a little convenience shop and through the poster plastered windows she caught a glimpse of some balloons bobbing together in a jumble.

"I'll make it up to you! Wait here, I'll be right back!" She grinned at the little girl, who regarded her with large round eyes. Frisk hopped up and, checking quickly that the street was clear, crossed over into the tiny store.

Pushing open the door to the shop, Frisk was hit with the smell of cigarette smoke and mothballs, not a pleasant combination. Her nose wrinkled as she entered, moving past a few lines of junk food and candy and over to the tied-up balloons. To her dismay, there didn't seem to be a blue heart to replace the one she had let float away. There was, however, a vivid red heart shaped one instead. _'Hope blue wasn't her favorite color,'_ Frisk thought as she untangled the string from the mass of cords.

Bringing her purchase over to the counter, the store clerk greeted Frisk with a quasi-toothless grin. The clerk was an older woman, bent by age but with shining eyes that peeked out from under the folds of her wrinkles.

"Just that today dearie?" she croaked, pointing a gnarled hand at the balloon. Frisk nodded, offering a smile. "Yup, this'll do it," she replied.

"Two dollars, then." The woman said, holding out her hand palm up. Frisk dug around in her bag, pulling out her wallet and subsequently, two crinkled bills.

"Here ya go!" She placed them into the woman's' claw and was pulling her hand back when suddenly the lady seized onto her wrist in a tight grip.

"Hey—" Frisk started, shocked at the sudden connection. She tried to yank her hand back but the woman's vice like hold just tightened on her, yellowed fingers poking into the thin skin on her wrist. Her mouth opened in a wide leer, the teeth that remained were browning and cracked.

"Seems that you have a lot of **determination** , little one." The hag chortled, her eyes raking over Frisk's face.

"Let go of me!" Frisk snapped, struggling to yank her arm back. The woman was staring at her in such a disconcerting manner, and her breathing had become heavy and labored.

"But…with all that **determination** ….what good will it do you if you don't even remember who you are?" The woman's voice seemed to have gotten deeper, and her raspy words caused Frisk to feel a foreboding sense of panic.

"I said, let me GO!" Frisk shouted, this time using all her force to rip her wrist from the woman's clutch. The woman was laughing now, an uncanny noise that sent shivers down Frisk's spine. She rushed to the door, pushing it open with a shove and stepping out onto the street. She was shaking, she realized, and looking down at her wrist she saw a bruise beginning to form _._

 _'_ _WHAT in the world was that about?_ _'_ she thought, her nerves wired. ' _Just some crazy woman, you happened to be there at the right time for her to share her crazy with a stranger_ ,' the rational voice in her mind said. ' _All that about_ _ **determination**_ _, though. What does that even mean?_ _'_ Frisk shook her head, closing her eyes briefly before she very suddenly remembered the little girl.

 _'_ _Crap! I hope she didn't leave!_ _'_ Frisk ran across the street, thankful that despite the bizarre experience she just had, she hadn't forgotten the red balloon. To her relief, the little girl was still there, still fidgeting with her backpack.

"So, they didn't have a blue one, but I hope this red one will be just as good!" Frisk tried to sound cheerful, but her voice wavered a bit. The little girl didn't seem to notice though, because as soon as she saw the floating heart her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands in glee.

"Ahh it's so pretty! Thank you, miss!" She was reaching for the balloon, but Frisk had an idea.

She crouched down again and said, "Hang on, give me your hand. This way you won't have your heart fly away."

Taking the girl's tiny hand, she carefully tied the string around her finger, mindful to not tie it too tight. In response, the little girl laughed happily, waving her arm around while the balloon trailed a few seconds behind. There was a honk, and Frisk looked up to see the school bus waiting a few feet ahead of them.

"Thanks again!" The little girl called out as she skipped to the bus, waving the balloon as she went.

Watching the bus pull away, Frisk smiled to herself. Her smile swiftly faded, however, as her mind went back to the weird store clerk she had just encountered. Looking across the street at the shop, she rubbed her sore wrist and nervously chewed her lip.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

It was all very strange- the reaction she had to the blue heart balloon bothered her. _'Was it a mini seizure? Or a stroke maybe?'_ Frisk wondered, briskly walking the rest of the way to the coffee shop.

Pausing at a stoplight to cross the street, Frisk glanced down at her wrist again. _'Yup, definitely left a mark….'_ Her pale skin bruised easily, and she could already tell that this particular bruise was going to be a nasty one.

' _She said I didn't know who I was. Why would she say that?'_ Frisk's habit of worrying her bottom lip kicked in and she was once again chewing on it as she thought about all the things that she had known to mean her.

 _'My name is Frisk Dreemur. I am 25 years old. I live alone other than my cat, Temmie. I like to read and I work at a local coffee shop in Ebbot.'_

It was a lot to consider on a Thursday morning. By the time Frisk arrived at the coffee shop, it was already swimming with customers. She almost bumped into one of them as she entered the café, dodging out of the way at the last second before she or the rushing customer got a face full of hot coffee. The coffee shop was small, but not cramped. There was a good amount of seating, and in the morning the sunlight flooded the space with a welcoming warmth. In the background, a soft radio station played some lofi, and nestled in the left corner of the café was a cozy reading nook with worn tomes.

One of her favorite coworkers, Catty, was working, along with her sister (who was not quite as dear to Frisk), Bratty. When the former spotted Frisk she waved, throwing coffee grounds in the air as she did so.

"Hey Frisk! I thought you were off today! Decide to come help us out?" She called out as Frisk weaseled her way up to the counter.

"Hahha, nooo. I just stopped by for some breakfast…and maybe some more coffee! Did you need help, though?" Frisk glanced around at the organized chaos, judging the level of madness in the shop.

"She always needs help." Bratty sniffed as she finished up the cream swirl on a specialty latte. Catty rolled her eyes, ignoring her sister.

"We're fine. Unless you wanna stay and hang out?"

Frisk wrinkled her nose, "I was going to go to the park today, and the bookstore later. But you can always call me in if things go absolutely mad."

"NUMBER 12, HOT COCOA LATTE WITH EXTRA WHIP!" Bratty bellowed out, handing off the drink to a short man in a suit who quickly grabbed his coffee and ran out the door.

"So, Frisk, whaddya want today?" Catty asked her, clearly happy to help someone other than a rude stranger rushing to caffeinate their body.

Frisk leaned over the display case, looking at the assortment of baked goods. The blueberry muffins were amazing, and the cookies were always her guilty pleasure when she was on the clock. "I'll take a buttered croissant, and, uhm….one of those hot cocoa lattes?" She requested, straightening up to dig around in her bag for her wallet. The other girl grinned at her, and then turned to Patty, who upon hearing Frisk's order, rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'll make it Patty, you man the register." And she hopped away to begin the drink.

Frisk hummed softly to herself as she waited, looking around at the different people in the shop. While Frisk didn't consider herself a particularly social person, she still enjoyed a good people watching session. In a corner seat near the right side of the shop sat a lady with huge round glasses on and a bright green floor length dress who was sketching something in the notebook in front of her. Two tables away, a younger guy was listening to music, the dull beat pounding through his headphones.

"Here, Frisk!" Hearing her name, Frisk turned around to Catty proudly displaying her latte. The whipped cream was a bit lopsided, but a cute heart of powdered cocoa dusted the top. Frisk grinned at her, carefully taking a sip before she put the lid on. "Mmmm, delicious! Thanks, Catty." Catty returned her grin while Bratty, as usual, rolled her eyes.

"Don't forget your croissant," the apathetic barista drawled, shoving a small brown bag towards Frisk. Frisk scooped it up, depositing it into her own bag. "Thanks, Patty." she said with another grin.

"Hey! What happened to your wrist?" Catty exclaimed, catching a glimpse of the dark discoloration as Frisk grabbed her pastry. Frisk blushed and began to stammer, "Oh, uh, this? It's n-nothing. R-really! I just bruise really easily is all." Catty cocked an overplucked eyebrow at her, plainly not buying the stuttered response.

"What's my total?" she asked, pulling out a small wad of bills and eager to change the subject.

"Oh Frisk, c'mon. You don't gotta pay anything!" Catty giggled, swapping places with Patty to begin taking more orders. Frisk shrugged and shook her head, sticking one of her five-dollar bills into the tip jar by the register.

"You guys are the best. Remember, call me if you need anything! I'll be close by!" she shuffled around a disgruntled looking woman who clearly disliked the small talk occurring between Frisk and the two employees.

Catty waved as she left the store and Patty gave her signature eye roll.

As Frisk walked the two blocks to the park, she sipped on her coffee. ' _Why didn't I tell Catty about that weirdo at the convenience store?'_ It wasn't like Frisk openly spoke about many of her private thoughts, even with people she considered friends, but the strange encounter earlier this morning was something most would talk about. Every time she thought about it she felt a pit in her stomach and her throat went dry. _'Should I have reported her to the police? What would I even say? This old lady grabbed my wrist and laughed like a crazy person?'_ Even though she was trying to talk her brain out of obsessing, Frisk couldn't help but feel haunted by the experience.

Turning a corner, the wide expanse of the park opened up before her. There was a large reaching meadow full of bright yellow flowers and framed by a few large trees. The town of Ebbot was so named for the looming mountain that sat to the north of the town, and of which the park at the best view. There had been plenty of attempts at building expensive condos where the park was to appeal more to tourists who came for part of the year, but the locals loved the mountain and had priorities. Thus, the park stayed as did the unobstructed view of the landmass.

Frisk was no different from any other local; she loved that mountain. Seeing it filled her with a sense of home that she didn't even feel in her own apartment. It was always there, always a constant in her world, and that thought gave her a great deal of comfort.

Walking lightly across the meadow, Frisk found what she deemed a good spot closer to the mountain, but not quite in its shadow. She sat down on the soft grass and pulled out her croissant. Munching on the buttery flakey bread, she looked around for the fluffy white dog and his owner that were usually at the park. Today, however, she didn't see him. In fact, she didn't see anyone. It wasn't too odd, given that it was the morning of a weekday. All the kids were in school, and all the adults were mostly at work. Frisk had the park all to herself.

Using her bag as a pillow, she laid back and closed her eyes, feeling the soft breeze and smelling the delicate sweetness of the flowers.

Frisk let her mind wander, feeling very content in the sunlit field. She was a notorious daydreamer, it was one of her favorite activities, so her mind naturally drifted into one of her regular fantasies.

As she breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers, she had a sudden impression of a large furry paw stroking her hair. She sat up with a start, heart suddenly pounding in the tranquil environment. She was still alone in the meadow, and the sensation had disappeared nearly as soon as it had started. Frisk stowed her empty cup in her bag, along with the wadded-up paper that had held her breakfast. She looked towards the mountain, its snow tipped peak twinkling in the rays of the sun.

She chewed on her lip as she stared at it and stood up. A gust of wind whipped her hair about wildly and she tucked a few strands behind her ears. Almost of their own accord, her feet began walking towards the mountain. Frisk couldn't explain it, but she had a very strong and impulsive urge to be closer to the alp. She knew that there was a relatively easy hiking path that led to a few scenic spots, and her outfit wasn't entirely inadequate for the activity. Her boots were sturdy, and her leggings and sweater were thick enough that she should stay warm as she ascended. It was also early enough that she wouldn't have to worry about the temperature drop that happened at night.

It didn't take her long to reach the start of the path, which had a large wooden gate inscribed with the words _Enter the Realm_. When the early settlers had first occupied the area, there was a strong belief that inhuman creatures roamed the mountain. Most had chalked it up to superstitions brought on by an unfamiliar environment, but some of the older people in town still told tourists the strange stories of the mountain folk. Frisk, ever a romantic, had believed the stories secretly. She had gone on the hiking trail before and hoped to come across some fantastic beings but had instead found only stunning views and quiet solitude.

Slinging her bag more comfortably across her chest, Frisk began the slight incline of the trail. She kept her eyes open for the occasional wildlife; from a distance she saw a fox run slyly across the path, and there were a lot of chirping birds that flitted between tree branches. She didn't come across another human while she climbed, which didn't bother her one bit.

After about half an hour she reached the first scenic spot. It was a picturesque area that had an incredible view of the town below. From this distance, the buildings and houses all looked like the miniature set of a stop motion film. Frisk spotted her apartment building, and the coffee shop. She pulled out her phone to snap a picture and noticed that the battery was still mostly full. _'Good, I didn't even think to check that before I began climbing a mountain,'_ Frisk thought wryly to herself. She turned her phone off to conserve energy and slid it back into her bag.

Spending another few moments taking in the view, she finally pulled herself away and turned back towards the path. Up ahead, the trail led through a rocky tunnel that was covered in moss and pale green lichen. Frisk felt a significant temperature drop as she entered the covered walkway and pulled the sleeves of her sweater down a little more on her arms. She picked her way along the pathway, sidestepping a few times to avoid crushing the mushrooms that had sprouted up in the dark space.

As she continued walking, Frisk began to get light headed. She paused to blink a few times and rub her eyes. _'Should have brought water,'_ she silently chided herself, thinking the exercise might have dehydrated her a bit.

To her shock, when Frisk opened her eyes and gazed forward, she no longer saw the trail exit the tunnel. Instead, it stretched forward into a black expanse. Perplexed, she turned to look behind her at the way she came. The same view of nothingness greeted her. ' _What the hell…how is that possible?'_ Her mind tried to wrap itself around the impossibility. She had been in this tunnel before and it had never taken her more than 5 minutes to make it through. Even if she had been standing in the center of the shaft, she still would be able to see clear through to each side, there were no bends or curves that would have obstructed that view.

' _Should I turn back? It looks the same either way, just darkness_.' Frisk could feel panic welling up inside her. Forcing air into her lungs, she dug around in her pack and turned on her cellphone. The glow of the screen illuminated the ground in front of her, nothing but dull grey rock. ' _Of course, no reception. You are in a TUNNEL, dummy_.' Frisk swore as she realized she had zero bars of service in her current location.

' _Well, I suppose I should keep moving. Maybe there was an eclipse that I didn't know about. The exit should be just up ahead…'_ It was a weak argument, and Frisk knew it. But in the face of something so bewildering, Frisk decided to try and figure it all out after the fact.

Using the light of her phone to guide her, Frisk slowly commenced making her way along the path once more. She walked for another couple minutes before the pit in her stomach got deeper. ' _Something is wrong, something is_ _ **very wrong'.**_ The trail should have let out on the other side by now, but instead is seemed to continue unendingly.

Drawing in a ragged breath, Frisk began to run. Anxiety was flooding her body like cold slime and claustrophobia was starting to set in. In her haste, she tripped, phone flying from her hand and landing in front of her with a thud. She cursed as she fell on her knees, her left one scraping against a particularly jagged rock. She winced as she gingerly stood up and touched the torn skin on her leg. Her phone faintly glowed on the ground, and Frisk cautiously made her way towards it.

She had just reached the phone and bent down to retrieve it when the floor fell away beneath her feet and she was falling into the mountain.


End file.
